A Space Child's Mother Goose

"The Space Child's Mother Goose", verses by Frederick Windsor and illustrated by Marian Parry is published by "Purple House Press": www.purplehousepress.com
This almost describes my own career...
There was a man in our town,
An Astrophysicist,
Who found a place
In Hyperspace
By just a twist of wrist.
But when he sought the Nearer Now
And he gave another twist,
He found that he'd
Become somehow
A Cyberneticist.
For those uncertain, the author includes a definition of hyperspace:
Regular space is high and wide;
HYPERSPACE is just outside.

reviewed by Ian Woolf

As a science geek in High School my favourite poetry all came from "The Space Child's Mother Goose", light witty verses by Frederick Windsor with quirky illustrations by Marion Parry. There was one copy at the local library, and nothing anywhere else, it has long been out of print.
The "Annals of Improbable Research" is a journal of wit, silliness and sarcasm for those with a love of science. I was pleased last year to find them publishing a poem per issue from "The Space Child's Mother Goose", and that they were trying to find a new publisher.
Purple House Press have put this wonderful book back in print, and I ordered a copy as soon as it became available. The book has forty-five illustrated poems, along with a glossary of difficult words at the back labelled "The answers".
I have a selection of the poems for you here, but I urge you to seek out purplehousepress.com on the internet, or ask your library to buy a copy so you can enjoy the illustrations as well.
Probable-Possible, my black hen,
She lays eggs in the Relative When.
She doesn't lay eggs in the Positive Now
Because she's unable to Postulate How.
Scattered amongst the other poems, the author has translations of this poem in French, German, Greek, an African language, and Mandarin Chinese, all of which rhym in the same places, followed by the literal translation back again into English.
Then there are the variations on old favourites:
Little Miss Muffet
Sits on her tuffet
In a nonchalant sort of a way.
With her force field around her
The spider, the bounder,
Is not in the picture today.Little Jack Horner
Sits in a corner
Extracting cube roots to infinity,
An assignment for boys
That will minimize noise
And produce a more peaceful vicinity,Solomon Grundy
Walked on Monday
Rode on Tuesday
Motored Wednesday
Planed on Thursday
Rocketed Friday
Spaceship Saturday
Time Machine Sunday
Where is the end for
Solomon Grundy?
And finally:
This is the Theory Jack built.
This is the Flaw
That lay in the Theory Jack built.
This is the Mummery
Hiding the Flaw
That lay in the Theory that Jack built.
This is the Summary
Based on the Mummery
Hiding the Flaw
That lay in the Theory that Jack built.
This is the Constant K
That saved the Summary
Based on the Mummery
Hiding the Flaw
That lay in the Theory that Jack built.
This is the Erudite Verbal Haze
Cloaking Constant K
That saved the Summary
Based on the Mummery
Hiding the Flaw
That lay in the Theory that Jack built.
This is the Turn of a Plausible Phrase
That thickened the Erudite Verbal Haze
Cloaking Constant K
That saved the Summary
Based on the Mummery
Hiding the Flaw
That lay in the Theory that Jack built.
This is the Chaotic Confusion and Bluff
That hung on the Turn of a Plausible Phrase
That thickened the Erudite Verbal Haze
Cloaking Constant K
That saved the Summary
Based on the Mummery
Hiding the Flaw
That lay in the Theory that Jack built.
This is the Cybernetics and Stuff
That covered Chaotic Confusion and Bluff
That hung on the Turn of a Plausible Phrase
That thickened the Erudite Verbal Haze
Cloaking Constant K
That saved the Summary
Based on the Mummery
Hiding the Flaw
That lay in the Theory that Jack built.
This is the button to Start the Machine
To make with the Cybernetics and Stuff
To cover Chaotic Confusion and Bluff
That hung on the Turn of a Plausible Phrase
That thickened the Erudite Verbal Haze
Cloaking Constant K
That saved the Summary
Based on the Mummery
Hiding the Flaw
That lay in the Theory that Jack built.
This is the Space Child with Brow Serene
Who Pushed the Button to Start the Machine
That made with the Cybernetics and Stuff
Without Confusion, exposing the Bluff
That hung on the Turn of a Plausible Phrase
And, shredding the Erudite Verbal Haze
Cloaking Constant K
Wrecked the Summary
Based on Mummery
Hiding the Flaw
And Demolished the Theory that Jack built.